Vietnam Business Law Blog

From time to time, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) comments on applications by
foreign investors who want to invest in service sectors in Vietnam. It is
interesting to know the MPI’s views on these applications as the MPI can take
the same view when it comes to the same application in the future. Below is a
summary of the MPI’s views from various official correspondences issued by the
MPI in November and December 2012:

“Services
for construction of high-rise buildings (CPC 512) and for construction of civil
construction works (CPC 513)” are permitted under the WTO Commitment;

A foreign invested company may only register for
“maintenance and repair services” as
an after-sale service for the goods that the company sells to its customers.
This is because the WTO Commitments only cover maintenance and repair services
for personal and household goods (CPC 663);

“Freight transport agency service (including freight
transportation brokerage services mainly making arrangements for transport or
making schedules for transport on behalf of carrier or recipients), brokerage
services for loading goods on to aircrafts, goods collection services, bulk goods
transportation services; other supporting services for freight transportations;
warehousing services; and road transportation services” are permitted in
case the foreign investor only owns 51% of the charter capital of the project
company;

“Management
consulting services and market research services” are permitted; and